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How I Know White People are Crazy and Other Stories: Notes from a Frustrated Black Psychologist
This clinical psychologist is frustrated.
In the final stretch of his doctoral internship, Dr. Jonathan Mathias Lassiter had just one more milestone to the diversity project, where candidates insert themselves into a situation in which they'd experience what it’s like to be a minority and then share their experience with the class. Surprisingly, the all-white training committee failed him! They concluded that the program’s first and only Black intern did not understand diversity. Frustrated and panicked, he “These white people are crazy."
In How I Know White People Are Crazy and Other Stories, Dr. Lassiter pulls back the curtain on the mental health system and reveals the hurdles that Black psychologists and students are forced to endure in the field. He tackles how white ideology has harmed Black patients and how it dominates America’s mental health practices.
He takes us through the arduous process of traveling across the country to get a job as a Black gay man, and working as a psychologist under culturally insensitive supervisors. As a professor, he’s isolated as the only Black man in his department, and when he starts to incorporate race theory into the curriculum, his colleagues delegitimize these cultural underpinnings. They’re fully confused when he introduces concepts like “African-centered psychology.” He grows more frustrated with the exclusive talk of Sigmund Freud, and the narrowness of psychology study, with no one like him to vent to. All this takes a mental and physical toll on him.
Using his expertise in research, his own therapy, and keeping a healthy dose of hip-hop/R&B music in his ears, Dr. Lassiter discovered a way where we can center culture in our healing. He demands that our lived and cultural experiences as people of color, LGBTQ+ and disabled communities are made apart of psychology practices so that we can understand, live in and navigate this frustrating world.
A thought provoking, funny and searing indictment of the mental health system for patients, students, and professionals alike will leave you thinking differently about the psychologists in your life.
In the final stretch of his doctoral internship, Dr. Jonathan Mathias Lassiter had just one more milestone to the diversity project, where candidates insert themselves into a situation in which they'd experience what it’s like to be a minority and then share their experience with the class. Surprisingly, the all-white training committee failed him! They concluded that the program’s first and only Black intern did not understand diversity. Frustrated and panicked, he “These white people are crazy."
In How I Know White People Are Crazy and Other Stories, Dr. Lassiter pulls back the curtain on the mental health system and reveals the hurdles that Black psychologists and students are forced to endure in the field. He tackles how white ideology has harmed Black patients and how it dominates America’s mental health practices.
He takes us through the arduous process of traveling across the country to get a job as a Black gay man, and working as a psychologist under culturally insensitive supervisors. As a professor, he’s isolated as the only Black man in his department, and when he starts to incorporate race theory into the curriculum, his colleagues delegitimize these cultural underpinnings. They’re fully confused when he introduces concepts like “African-centered psychology.” He grows more frustrated with the exclusive talk of Sigmund Freud, and the narrowness of psychology study, with no one like him to vent to. All this takes a mental and physical toll on him.
Using his expertise in research, his own therapy, and keeping a healthy dose of hip-hop/R&B music in his ears, Dr. Lassiter discovered a way where we can center culture in our healing. He demands that our lived and cultural experiences as people of color, LGBTQ+ and disabled communities are made apart of psychology practices so that we can understand, live in and navigate this frustrating world.
A thought provoking, funny and searing indictment of the mental health system for patients, students, and professionals alike will leave you thinking differently about the psychologists in your life.
320 pages, Hardcover
Published November 4, 2025
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1049 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
November 13, 2025
I recieved an ALC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
My main problem first: this is a memoir that wasn't advertised as such. It's advertised as a mental health nonfiction book, but it's not. The author happens to be a psychologist, but he doesn't present the information detached from himself enough for it to be anything but a memoir. Barely any studies, papers or surveys are presented, we don't spend any time on the history of anything, we don't get told anything apart from what he's lived, and that's, by definition, a memoir. I don't read memoirs from people I don't know, and he's a person I don't know, so I wouldn't have read this if the marketing team had been honest with us readers.
It being a memoir, it relies a lot on how much you like the author and believe he's telling you the full truth, and I don't really like him and don't fully believe him, specially in the anecdotes from when he was a professor. To be called a non-fiction book about mental health, many many many of his inside thoughts should've remained like that, and many of his anecdotal evidence could've been backed up by statistical evidence, or even anecdotal evidence from people other than himself. As it's not, sometimes we're left reading a passage where he's being an asshole in his own head to someone that's asking him a genuine question (the student with ethical concerns about some work he had them do for class, for example) and have to imagine that this wasn't an overreaction.
The author narrating this was perfect, because it showed the listener what tone he was trying to convey. Sometimes it added humor, sometimes it added graveness, and sometimes it reaffirmed that he was, in fact, being condescending with no reason (or with insufficient evidence).
I'm not a big fan of the term "global majority", being part of it myself, but that's neither here nor there. Or at least it would be if the author explained why he kept using it, if he wasn't going to talk about non-white non-black people almost anywhere in the book (maybe the only time he brings up a latina is to imply she stole a position he should've been hired for) (not a concerning rethoric at all seeing the state of his country) (<- sarcasm). He's black, and we've established this is a memoir, so he's talking exclusively about his experiences as a black person, so I don't know what asian, latinx and indigenous people had to do with any of it. Except performatively going "yeah, those guys too".
I didn't know about the term "same-gender-loving" and was frustrated for most of the book that he wouldn't explain why he was using it, or even imply that it had a political history that people could go research on their own. I listened to most of this audiobook in the middle of nowhere with no signal, and by the time I got back to civilization I'd forgotten what I'd meant to google. I'm now learning it's a term coined by the african-american community in the US to separate themselves from the more eurocentric terms like gay and lesbian. And I love that! I wish the author would've spent some time sharing why he chooses to identify that way, what it means to him, why he's chosen to detach himself from more commonly used terms, but he doesn't. It's subjective if it'd been enriching or not in a book mainly about race, but given how many times he insists on the intersectionality of his many identities, for me it was a necessary digression.
Who would I recommend this to? I'm not sure. In terms of race theory, there are much more comprehensive and accessible authors out there. More and more investigations, dissertations and papers on black people's mental health have been coming out in the past decade-ish, for an account of their experience in the mental health system. I'd say this is a book either for people who have never thought about racism ever in their lives and are looking for a jumping point, or just people looking for a memoir from a black psychologist.
My main problem first: this is a memoir that wasn't advertised as such. It's advertised as a mental health nonfiction book, but it's not. The author happens to be a psychologist, but he doesn't present the information detached from himself enough for it to be anything but a memoir. Barely any studies, papers or surveys are presented, we don't spend any time on the history of anything, we don't get told anything apart from what he's lived, and that's, by definition, a memoir. I don't read memoirs from people I don't know, and he's a person I don't know, so I wouldn't have read this if the marketing team had been honest with us readers.
It being a memoir, it relies a lot on how much you like the author and believe he's telling you the full truth, and I don't really like him and don't fully believe him, specially in the anecdotes from when he was a professor. To be called a non-fiction book about mental health, many many many of his inside thoughts should've remained like that, and many of his anecdotal evidence could've been backed up by statistical evidence, or even anecdotal evidence from people other than himself. As it's not, sometimes we're left reading a passage where he's being an asshole in his own head to someone that's asking him a genuine question (the student with ethical concerns about some work he had them do for class, for example) and have to imagine that this wasn't an overreaction.
The author narrating this was perfect, because it showed the listener what tone he was trying to convey. Sometimes it added humor, sometimes it added graveness, and sometimes it reaffirmed that he was, in fact, being condescending with no reason (or with insufficient evidence).
I'm not a big fan of the term "global majority", being part of it myself, but that's neither here nor there. Or at least it would be if the author explained why he kept using it, if he wasn't going to talk about non-white non-black people almost anywhere in the book (maybe the only time he brings up a latina is to imply she stole a position he should've been hired for) (not a concerning rethoric at all seeing the state of his country) (<- sarcasm). He's black, and we've established this is a memoir, so he's talking exclusively about his experiences as a black person, so I don't know what asian, latinx and indigenous people had to do with any of it. Except performatively going "yeah, those guys too".
I didn't know about the term "same-gender-loving" and was frustrated for most of the book that he wouldn't explain why he was using it, or even imply that it had a political history that people could go research on their own. I listened to most of this audiobook in the middle of nowhere with no signal, and by the time I got back to civilization I'd forgotten what I'd meant to google. I'm now learning it's a term coined by the african-american community in the US to separate themselves from the more eurocentric terms like gay and lesbian. And I love that! I wish the author would've spent some time sharing why he chooses to identify that way, what it means to him, why he's chosen to detach himself from more commonly used terms, but he doesn't. It's subjective if it'd been enriching or not in a book mainly about race, but given how many times he insists on the intersectionality of his many identities, for me it was a necessary digression.
Who would I recommend this to? I'm not sure. In terms of race theory, there are much more comprehensive and accessible authors out there. More and more investigations, dissertations and papers on black people's mental health have been coming out in the past decade-ish, for an account of their experience in the mental health system. I'd say this is a book either for people who have never thought about racism ever in their lives and are looking for a jumping point, or just people looking for a memoir from a black psychologist.
October 25, 2025
I received this audiobook in exchange for an honest review all opinions stated are my own.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Revolutionary in its clarity, resonant in its truth.
This book hit home in so many ways. As someone who’s actively searched for a Black male therapist digging under every rock to find one........I found Dr. Lassiter’s insights not just intelligent and fresh, but deeply validating. The title might be provocative, but what lies beneath is a thoughtful, data-backed exploration of systemic barriers in mental health and beyond.
What makes this book revolutionary isn’t that it says something new, it’s that it says it plainly. It’s accessible, honest, and refreshingly direct. And while it centers whiteness as a structure, Dr. Lassiter doesn’t stop there. He thoughtfully addresses how other ethnicities are also impacted by these systems, and how we’re all navigating the ripple effects. His voice is firm but never exclusionary.
Some may label this kind of writing as radical but to me, it’s honest and necessary. I haven’t read anything else like it. The candor is striking, and the way Dr. Lassiter pulls from his lived experience makes the book feel both intimate and expansive. Whether he’s reflecting on his time working at Abercrombie & Fitch or unpacking the dynamics of representation in psychology, his stories ground the data in real life.
My favorite chapter, You Can’t Buy Whiteness, was especially powerful. It expands on the idea that proximity to whiteness doesn’t protect you from racism or social injustice. Racist people will always choose themselves no matter how close they are to you, no matter how they treat you in private. When it comes to publicly disavowing racism, their true colors always show. That chapter alone deserves its own conversation.
I especially appreciated the author’s invitation to download the Mental Liberation Toolkit a practical, empowering resource that complements the audiobook beautifully. It’s not just a book; it’s a call to action.
I also want to acknowledge something important: I know that for someone who is not a person of color, this book may not resonate in the same way. And that’s exactly what Dr. Lassiter speaks to. There’s an ideal that certain groups have about how the world should be .......an ideal shaped by generations of systems built for their success. When you’ve lived a certain way, it’s hard to see things differently. But I still urge readers to try. Try to listen. Try to put yourself in someone else’s shoes. Try to see how these systems can be designed to disavow entire communities. Even if you don’t agree with every word, the act of listening is powerful.
Dr. Lassiter is doing his part by writing this. The least we can do is listen. I hope this reaches the audience it deserves. The title alone might draw people in, but the substance will keep them thinking long after the final chapter.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Revolutionary in its clarity, resonant in its truth.
This book hit home in so many ways. As someone who’s actively searched for a Black male therapist digging under every rock to find one........I found Dr. Lassiter’s insights not just intelligent and fresh, but deeply validating. The title might be provocative, but what lies beneath is a thoughtful, data-backed exploration of systemic barriers in mental health and beyond.
What makes this book revolutionary isn’t that it says something new, it’s that it says it plainly. It’s accessible, honest, and refreshingly direct. And while it centers whiteness as a structure, Dr. Lassiter doesn’t stop there. He thoughtfully addresses how other ethnicities are also impacted by these systems, and how we’re all navigating the ripple effects. His voice is firm but never exclusionary.
Some may label this kind of writing as radical but to me, it’s honest and necessary. I haven’t read anything else like it. The candor is striking, and the way Dr. Lassiter pulls from his lived experience makes the book feel both intimate and expansive. Whether he’s reflecting on his time working at Abercrombie & Fitch or unpacking the dynamics of representation in psychology, his stories ground the data in real life.
My favorite chapter, You Can’t Buy Whiteness, was especially powerful. It expands on the idea that proximity to whiteness doesn’t protect you from racism or social injustice. Racist people will always choose themselves no matter how close they are to you, no matter how they treat you in private. When it comes to publicly disavowing racism, their true colors always show. That chapter alone deserves its own conversation.
I especially appreciated the author’s invitation to download the Mental Liberation Toolkit a practical, empowering resource that complements the audiobook beautifully. It’s not just a book; it’s a call to action.
I also want to acknowledge something important: I know that for someone who is not a person of color, this book may not resonate in the same way. And that’s exactly what Dr. Lassiter speaks to. There’s an ideal that certain groups have about how the world should be .......an ideal shaped by generations of systems built for their success. When you’ve lived a certain way, it’s hard to see things differently. But I still urge readers to try. Try to listen. Try to put yourself in someone else’s shoes. Try to see how these systems can be designed to disavow entire communities. Even if you don’t agree with every word, the act of listening is powerful.
Dr. Lassiter is doing his part by writing this. The least we can do is listen. I hope this reaches the audience it deserves. The title alone might draw people in, but the substance will keep them thinking long after the final chapter.
January 4, 2026
This book leans more like a personal memoir than an academic or analytical deep dive. The author’s lived experiences are powerful and thought-provoking, but I wanted more structure and depth beyond the personal narrative. Insightful moments, just not quite what I expected going in.
November 7, 2025
It’s bold, insightful, and a bit of a reality check for anyone who still believes the field of psychology is neutral. Lassiter’s voice challenges readers to pause before reacting, to reflect before defending, and to actually sit with the discomfort that comes from honest discussion about race and power.
Read my full review on my blog.
@shelfiesorcery
Read my full review on my blog.
@shelfiesorcery
January 4, 2026
I purchased this book on Dec 23, and began reading. Lassiter captured my attention with a combination of presenting theory and storytelling. What he wrote about whiteness and academia is spot-on! This is a rich resource that should be consulted over and over. The footnotes are integral. 4.5.
December 28, 2025
How I Know That White People Are Crazy…And Other Stories uses essays and personal observations to explore how racism operates in everyday American life. The book attempts to blend humor, cultural critique, and psychological insight to examine how whiteness is treated as “normal” while Black behavior is often pathologized. Through stories drawn from clinical settings, media, and social encounters, it challenges assumptions about mental health, intelligence, and power. The author argues that racism is not just personal prejudice but a systemic mindset that shapes institutions and beliefs. Overall, the book exposes how racial bias affects both how Black people are treated and how society explains inequality.
The book can feel deceiving because, despite being framed as psychological analysis, much of its emotional weight comes from lived racist experiences rather than clinical case studies. From the viewpoint of a Black psychologist, readers might expect deeper methodological analysis or therapeutic frameworks, but instead encounter storytelling driven by social critique. From the viewpoint of a Black man describing racism, the book resonates strongly, validating frustration, anger, and irony born from repeated encounters with bias. This tension can leave readers unsure whether they are reading an academic exploration of racism’s psychological roots or a personal commentary on racial injustice. This makes it difficult to be sure if Dr. Lassiter is analyzing racism or just calling it out as he’s lived it. The blend works emotionally, but it might disappoint readers who were expecting something more academic than personal.
This is a review of the audiobook.
The book can feel deceiving because, despite being framed as psychological analysis, much of its emotional weight comes from lived racist experiences rather than clinical case studies. From the viewpoint of a Black psychologist, readers might expect deeper methodological analysis or therapeutic frameworks, but instead encounter storytelling driven by social critique. From the viewpoint of a Black man describing racism, the book resonates strongly, validating frustration, anger, and irony born from repeated encounters with bias. This tension can leave readers unsure whether they are reading an academic exploration of racism’s psychological roots or a personal commentary on racial injustice. This makes it difficult to be sure if Dr. Lassiter is analyzing racism or just calling it out as he’s lived it. The blend works emotionally, but it might disappoint readers who were expecting something more academic than personal.
This is a review of the audiobook.
November 28, 2025
This is definitely a book white people should read. If you’re a black person living in America, there’s not going to be much that surprises you. But the title alone deserves two snaps up in a circle. I wish I read this out in public lol.
November 18, 2025
How I Know White People are Crazy and Other Stories: Notes from a Frustrated Black Psychologist by Dr. Jonathan Lassiter (book cover is in image) was not marketed appropriately. It was marketed as a psychology nonfiction, but reads more like a memoir. Often satirical, it describes the journey the author takes to become a psychologist as an African-American in a White dominated field.
Unfortunately the narration by Dr. Jonathan Lassiter fell flat for me. While the stories are good and often satirical, the narration made me feel that I was being scolded like a toddler who has done something wrong, which is where this book lost all of it's stars. I had the good fortune of having access to the book and the audiobook at the same time, so I was able to abandon the audio and enjoy the read.
Thank you @hachetteaudio, @grandcentralpub and @netgalley for the opportunity to listen to this ALC and read this ARC. All opinions are my own.
Pub date: Nov 04 2025
Rating: 3 Stars
#GrandCentralPublishing
#HachetteAudio
#HowIKnowWhitePeopleAreCrazyandOtherStories
#DrJohnathanLassiter
#Psychology
#Satire
#Memoir
#yarisbooknook
#netgalley
Unfortunately the narration by Dr. Jonathan Lassiter fell flat for me. While the stories are good and often satirical, the narration made me feel that I was being scolded like a toddler who has done something wrong, which is where this book lost all of it's stars. I had the good fortune of having access to the book and the audiobook at the same time, so I was able to abandon the audio and enjoy the read.
Thank you @hachetteaudio, @grandcentralpub and @netgalley for the opportunity to listen to this ALC and read this ARC. All opinions are my own.
Pub date: Nov 04 2025
Rating: 3 Stars
#GrandCentralPublishing
#HachetteAudio
#HowIKnowWhitePeopleAreCrazyandOtherStories
#DrJohnathanLassiter
#Psychology
#Satire
#Memoir
#yarisbooknook
#netgalley
abandoned
January 11, 2026How I Know White People Are Crazy and Other Stories: Notes from a Frustrated Black Psychologist by Dr. Jonathan Lassiter (2025)
xxii+284-page Kindle Ebook story pages ix-267
Genre: Nonfiction, Memoir, Biography, Mental Health
Rating as a movie: R for adult language
Featuring: Prologue: Whiteness Makes Us All Crazy, My Life “Ain’t Been No Crystal Stair” The Impact of Whiteness, Racism, Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome (PTSS), Cultural Misorientation, Intergenerational Trauma, Who God Wants Me to Be, You Can’t Buy Whiteness, All I Want to Do Is Be a Psychologist, “Cause We Niggas and That’s All We Ever Gonna Be” A Good Match Is Hard to Find, How I Know White People Are Crazy, Shiny Object Syndrome, Whiteness Is a Mental Health Problem, “I Feel Like They Don’t Want Me Here” “Dr. Lassiter Is Intimidating” Nice White Women, Killing Me Softly with Diversity, Black Boy and the City Epilogue: The Work of Healing from the Whiteness Mindset, Acknowledgments, Postscript: A Letter to a New Psychologist, Resource List - Books, Playlist Inspired by the Book Notes
Songs for the soundtrack: See Playlist
Books and Authors mentioned:
Understanding an Afrocentric World View: Introduction to Optimal Psychology by Dr. Linda James Myers, Mother to Son by Langston Hughes, Gunfight at the O.K. Corral by Leon Uris [based on] The Killer by George Scullin; Amelia Bedelia series by Peggy Parish, The Berenstain Bears series by Stan and Jan Berenstain, Little Critter series by Mercer Mayer, Seeking the Sakhu: Foundational Writings for an African Psychology by Wade W. Nobles, We Real Cool: Black Men and Masculinity by bell hooks
My rating: DNF @ 16% CHAPTER 2 Who God Wants Me to Be page 27
My thoughts: 🔖6% Page 3 of 284 CHAPTER 1 The Impact of Whiteness - I need the people who praised this book to explain why. So far this is just a rant and I'm not interested at this time. 📌
🔖16% 27 CHAPTER 2 Who God Wants Me to Be - I slept on it and I gave it another chapter. This book isn't for me.
Why I quit: This is a very interesting topic and I think there is a lot of value here however it is presented in a memoir style and a lot of it comes off as the author ranting. Then later he goes into a conversational tone with storytelling, but at the end of the day it is like being in a conversation I really don't want to be a part of and that is why I am moving on from this book. I could finish it but I don't think it would be valuable for me at the end of the day nor a good expenditure of my reading time. The Playlist looks pretty good.
Recommend to others: I'm not sure. I wouldn’t have picked this book up on my own and I'm not sure who it's for.
Memorable Quotes: The latest statistics from the American Psychological Association showed that only about 20 percent of the psychologist workforce is composed of people from the global majority. Black people only make up 5 percent of the psychologist field. Black men like me are particularly rare, making up .86 percent of the psychologist workforce. And you know that’s a damn shame.
The passion with which I discuss the whiteness mindset in this book was first shaped by my father—a Black person born in 1950s Georgia. He would often say to me after experiencing some racial injustice like being denied for a promotion after training the white man who was promoted instead: “White people crazy.” I used to think my father was just bitter and mean. But now as a fortysomething Black, same-gender-loving man whose feet have been singed on the roads of an anti-Black and heterosexist world, I fully understand.2 My father’s fervor is kindling for my own fire. My knowledge is personal. I have been assaulted by the frenzied, entitled domination3 of white people who have alternatively desired, hated, and terrorized me. My knowledge is also professional. As a clinical psychologist, I have witnessed some of my white clients struggle to let go of cultural beliefs that, on one hand, harmed them and, on the other, provided scapegoats—non-white, nonheterosexual, non-cisgender, poor people—for their suffering. Now I, too, know that white people are crazy—and in turn the whiteness mindset has the power to make us all crazy. There are countless examples of this, including voting for politicians who slash the government programs they need to live; believing that civilization started in Greece; watering down cultural-spiritual rituals like mindfulness and meditation and then marketing them to white women as evidence-based health practices; arguing against gun control; and refusing to listen to Black women about their bodies and thus risking their lives and those of their fetuses. The dismantling of Roe v. Wade is an example of the whiteness mindset shaping our society. We can see the craziness of the whiteness mindset in advocating for foreign aid for white countries while ignoring anti-LGBTQ violence in African countries; hiring diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) officers only to ignore their recommendations, and then ultimately lay them off en masse when hordes of legislators call for DEI bans. The list goes on and on. But white people are not alone. Black people and other people from the global majority suffer from the crazy, too. They show evidence of an internalized whiteness mindset when they self-diagnose as having imposter syndrome; engage in colorism and anti-Blackness; encourage their children to abandon their native languages so that they can fit into English-speaking environments; kick transgender and gender nonconforming children out of their homes because they believe it is what a white god would want them to do; and abuse their own children in hopes of sparing them from the abuse of white people.
We are crazy because we have all been infected with the whiteness mindset. We are in critical condition and many of us are dying of whiteness. As Jonathan M. Metzl4 argues, the policies meant to restore and maintain white power and privilege contribute to injuries and death for many white people. Whiteness in law enforcement and school districts leads to police brutality and anti-woke campaigns, which leads to more death of the bodies and minds of Black people. Maybe most alarming is that due to the ubiquity of the whiteness mindset, effective treatment for this condition is nearly impossible. In fact, as I will explain throughout this book, most mental health treatments themselves are grounded in whiteness.
Note: The whiteness mindset is not a diagnosis that is only limited to people who are phenotypically white or who are considered white by society. A person can be diagnosed with the whiteness mindset regardless of their racial or ethnic background.
Note: The whiteness mindset does not only have racial and ethnic implications but can also—and often does—structure society in both subtle and pervasive ways that contribute to oppression based on gender, physical and neurological ability status, class, religion, and other social identifiers.
Note: Although whiteness has been described here as a mindset, this mindset has ripple effects in society and often not only plays out within and between individuals but also influences society’s policies, laws, and cultural norms.
Note: The whiteness mindset does not necessarily cause significant functional impairment in the context of a society that is structured—in its laws, policies, and cultural norms—by it. In fact, most people who evidence whiteness will have their behavior reinforced and rewarded by societies structured by the whiteness mindset.
This book is for everyone. In order to heal, we must all start by recognizing, diagnosing, and treating the whiteness mindset in us.
When she met Jasper, she was happy to have a man who placed duty over passion. He seldom asked about her desires. He needed a mate, a partner, and Minnie needed the same. The load of surviving in the white man’s world was better carried by two than one. Side by side, they cultivated cotton and created a family. Jasper allowed her distance, to keep her fortress around her emotions. When the children were born, a part of her wished they would give her distance, too. She wished they would not need her so intensely. She often did not see them as they really were. She saw them through the eyes of the ill-intentioned white people who might try to injure them. She worried well into the night about their safety. She wanted them to be well-mannered, clean, hardworking—all the attributes that might buffer them from white people’s abuse. But their inner lives were invisible to her. She did not know their dreams. She did not encourage them to imagine a life of their own. How can a mother give something to her child that she does not have for herself?
They called out to Jasper: “Hey, boy, what you doing on the sidewalk? You know you’re supposed to be off the sidewalk when we come by.” The white men flashed yellowish-brownish grins to each other. One spit chewing-tobacco juice into the street. All the Lassiters, except baby Hank, felt tightness creep into their chests. Their bodies went into autopilot and stepped off the sidewalk. Minnie grabbed Hank and hurried beside her husband into the street. Without saying a word, they continued to the movie theater. As always, my grandfather swallowed the assault. Challenging them would have meant either jail or lynching or both. Justice was not an option. My grandfather rushed the family along the final block to the theater so that they could seek shelter in front of the screen. They may have been physically safe, but they were emotionally harmed. No one dared to reveal the realness of their emotions. The fear, humiliation, anger, hatred, hopelessness. They all held their breath in the dark, colored-only balcony of that theater. It was not until Doc Holliday fired his first round that they let the air escape their lungs. All the Lassiters were traumatized that day. If they could have received psychotherapy from a culturally informed therapist, they may have been able to be accurately diagnosed and receive the care they needed to recover from that assault. They may have been able to reject the barbaric display of the whiteness mindset expressed in those men’s oppressive behaviors that disregarded the humanity of a whole family. A culturally skilled therapist may have been able to help the family understand that those men’s need to feel powerful and superior was an example of distorted and delusional thoughts not connected to reality. Those men used the power of their white skin and status in that time and place to bestow purpose upon themselves—a perceived right to exist above others. A therapist experienced in diagnosing the whiteness mindset could have helped the Lassiters appropriately narrate the incident as a problem with the white men and not them. If the Lassiters could have received therapy from a whiteness expert, they may have had the chance to process their pain and speak their shame. However, no such opportunities were available. Instead, the verbal assault deeply wounded my father. He witnessed his father rendered irrelevant by those white men. The white men, who were younger than his father, had the power to block a Black family’s path. Joshua saw the man whom he respected, loved, and cherished more than any other man turned into a boy. A silenced boy who swallowed fear and anger to ensure survival. The silence was a mask for the shame. But Jasper knew the shame was there. And Joshua knew it, too.
In Berenstain Bears, Papa Bear may have been stern at times. But he always let Brother and Sister Bear know that he loved them. He was tender in teaching the lessons of life to his cubs. He volunteered at their school. And even when he and Mama Bear had disagreements, they rarely were angry. Papa Bear was able to do something my father never seemed good at—admit when he was wrong. Although stubborn, Papa Bear was no stranger to saying sorry and sharing heartfelt hugs in concession. Papa Bear was the type of father for which I prayed. But my father wanted me to be a different type of boy. He wanted me to play sports, have sex with girls while maintaining a powerful emotional distance, and be physically aggressive. This type of boy would develop into a strong man who could lead and shield his family from the harms of white people no matter the emotional costs. My father wanted me to mimic him as he emulated his father. My father led his family from a space where he simultaneously fought white people’s brutality and internalized the whiteness mindset. Being exposed to the norms of white manhood, his own manhood looked like a combination of his father’s emotional distancing and the disregard for the fullness of others’ humanity that was demonstrated by those white men on that Saturday morning in his youth. After generations of intentional cultural suppression and demonization by the white world around him, Joshua’s ancestors’ African values were largely unfamiliar to him. My father was culturally misoriented.
These experiences and lessons were extended to each generation. My father taught them to me. He added: “Don’t ever tell white people the truth.” “Always keep your eyes open.” “Always sit with your back up against the wall.” “If you take three steps, they’re going to try to push you back two.” “You can’t be weak out there. The world will eat you alive.”
My father used every tactic he knew to help me forge my own armor. He feared for me. He was scared that someone might use my emotions as an excuse to harm me. It did not matter if my emotions were justified. It did not matter if I had just survived a medical emergency. It did not matter if I was seven years old. In his mind, I needed armor. That day, in 1991, lying in the hospital, I wanted my father to care for my emotions. He cared for my toughness, my survival. His inability to emotionally connect and treat my vulnerability with gentleness was a symptom of the whiteness mindset that harmed us both.
xxii+284-page Kindle Ebook story pages ix-267
Genre: Nonfiction, Memoir, Biography, Mental Health
Rating as a movie: R for adult language
Featuring: Prologue: Whiteness Makes Us All Crazy, My Life “Ain’t Been No Crystal Stair” The Impact of Whiteness, Racism, Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome (PTSS), Cultural Misorientation, Intergenerational Trauma, Who God Wants Me to Be, You Can’t Buy Whiteness, All I Want to Do Is Be a Psychologist, “Cause We Niggas and That’s All We Ever Gonna Be” A Good Match Is Hard to Find, How I Know White People Are Crazy, Shiny Object Syndrome, Whiteness Is a Mental Health Problem, “I Feel Like They Don’t Want Me Here” “Dr. Lassiter Is Intimidating” Nice White Women, Killing Me Softly with Diversity, Black Boy and the City Epilogue: The Work of Healing from the Whiteness Mindset, Acknowledgments, Postscript: A Letter to a New Psychologist, Resource List - Books, Playlist Inspired by the Book Notes
Songs for the soundtrack: See Playlist
Books and Authors mentioned:
Understanding an Afrocentric World View: Introduction to Optimal Psychology by Dr. Linda James Myers, Mother to Son by Langston Hughes, Gunfight at the O.K. Corral by Leon Uris [based on] The Killer by George Scullin; Amelia Bedelia series by Peggy Parish, The Berenstain Bears series by Stan and Jan Berenstain, Little Critter series by Mercer Mayer, Seeking the Sakhu: Foundational Writings for an African Psychology by Wade W. Nobles, We Real Cool: Black Men and Masculinity by bell hooks
My rating: DNF @ 16% CHAPTER 2 Who God Wants Me to Be page 27
My thoughts: 🔖6% Page 3 of 284 CHAPTER 1 The Impact of Whiteness - I need the people who praised this book to explain why. So far this is just a rant and I'm not interested at this time. 📌
🔖16% 27 CHAPTER 2 Who God Wants Me to Be - I slept on it and I gave it another chapter. This book isn't for me.
Why I quit: This is a very interesting topic and I think there is a lot of value here however it is presented in a memoir style and a lot of it comes off as the author ranting. Then later he goes into a conversational tone with storytelling, but at the end of the day it is like being in a conversation I really don't want to be a part of and that is why I am moving on from this book. I could finish it but I don't think it would be valuable for me at the end of the day nor a good expenditure of my reading time. The Playlist looks pretty good.
Recommend to others: I'm not sure. I wouldn’t have picked this book up on my own and I'm not sure who it's for.
Memorable Quotes: The latest statistics from the American Psychological Association showed that only about 20 percent of the psychologist workforce is composed of people from the global majority. Black people only make up 5 percent of the psychologist field. Black men like me are particularly rare, making up .86 percent of the psychologist workforce. And you know that’s a damn shame.
The passion with which I discuss the whiteness mindset in this book was first shaped by my father—a Black person born in 1950s Georgia. He would often say to me after experiencing some racial injustice like being denied for a promotion after training the white man who was promoted instead: “White people crazy.” I used to think my father was just bitter and mean. But now as a fortysomething Black, same-gender-loving man whose feet have been singed on the roads of an anti-Black and heterosexist world, I fully understand.2 My father’s fervor is kindling for my own fire. My knowledge is personal. I have been assaulted by the frenzied, entitled domination3 of white people who have alternatively desired, hated, and terrorized me. My knowledge is also professional. As a clinical psychologist, I have witnessed some of my white clients struggle to let go of cultural beliefs that, on one hand, harmed them and, on the other, provided scapegoats—non-white, nonheterosexual, non-cisgender, poor people—for their suffering. Now I, too, know that white people are crazy—and in turn the whiteness mindset has the power to make us all crazy. There are countless examples of this, including voting for politicians who slash the government programs they need to live; believing that civilization started in Greece; watering down cultural-spiritual rituals like mindfulness and meditation and then marketing them to white women as evidence-based health practices; arguing against gun control; and refusing to listen to Black women about their bodies and thus risking their lives and those of their fetuses. The dismantling of Roe v. Wade is an example of the whiteness mindset shaping our society. We can see the craziness of the whiteness mindset in advocating for foreign aid for white countries while ignoring anti-LGBTQ violence in African countries; hiring diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) officers only to ignore their recommendations, and then ultimately lay them off en masse when hordes of legislators call for DEI bans. The list goes on and on. But white people are not alone. Black people and other people from the global majority suffer from the crazy, too. They show evidence of an internalized whiteness mindset when they self-diagnose as having imposter syndrome; engage in colorism and anti-Blackness; encourage their children to abandon their native languages so that they can fit into English-speaking environments; kick transgender and gender nonconforming children out of their homes because they believe it is what a white god would want them to do; and abuse their own children in hopes of sparing them from the abuse of white people.
We are crazy because we have all been infected with the whiteness mindset. We are in critical condition and many of us are dying of whiteness. As Jonathan M. Metzl4 argues, the policies meant to restore and maintain white power and privilege contribute to injuries and death for many white people. Whiteness in law enforcement and school districts leads to police brutality and anti-woke campaigns, which leads to more death of the bodies and minds of Black people. Maybe most alarming is that due to the ubiquity of the whiteness mindset, effective treatment for this condition is nearly impossible. In fact, as I will explain throughout this book, most mental health treatments themselves are grounded in whiteness.
Note: The whiteness mindset is not a diagnosis that is only limited to people who are phenotypically white or who are considered white by society. A person can be diagnosed with the whiteness mindset regardless of their racial or ethnic background.
Note: The whiteness mindset does not only have racial and ethnic implications but can also—and often does—structure society in both subtle and pervasive ways that contribute to oppression based on gender, physical and neurological ability status, class, religion, and other social identifiers.
Note: Although whiteness has been described here as a mindset, this mindset has ripple effects in society and often not only plays out within and between individuals but also influences society’s policies, laws, and cultural norms.
Note: The whiteness mindset does not necessarily cause significant functional impairment in the context of a society that is structured—in its laws, policies, and cultural norms—by it. In fact, most people who evidence whiteness will have their behavior reinforced and rewarded by societies structured by the whiteness mindset.
This book is for everyone. In order to heal, we must all start by recognizing, diagnosing, and treating the whiteness mindset in us.
When she met Jasper, she was happy to have a man who placed duty over passion. He seldom asked about her desires. He needed a mate, a partner, and Minnie needed the same. The load of surviving in the white man’s world was better carried by two than one. Side by side, they cultivated cotton and created a family. Jasper allowed her distance, to keep her fortress around her emotions. When the children were born, a part of her wished they would give her distance, too. She wished they would not need her so intensely. She often did not see them as they really were. She saw them through the eyes of the ill-intentioned white people who might try to injure them. She worried well into the night about their safety. She wanted them to be well-mannered, clean, hardworking—all the attributes that might buffer them from white people’s abuse. But their inner lives were invisible to her. She did not know their dreams. She did not encourage them to imagine a life of their own. How can a mother give something to her child that she does not have for herself?
They called out to Jasper: “Hey, boy, what you doing on the sidewalk? You know you’re supposed to be off the sidewalk when we come by.” The white men flashed yellowish-brownish grins to each other. One spit chewing-tobacco juice into the street. All the Lassiters, except baby Hank, felt tightness creep into their chests. Their bodies went into autopilot and stepped off the sidewalk. Minnie grabbed Hank and hurried beside her husband into the street. Without saying a word, they continued to the movie theater. As always, my grandfather swallowed the assault. Challenging them would have meant either jail or lynching or both. Justice was not an option. My grandfather rushed the family along the final block to the theater so that they could seek shelter in front of the screen. They may have been physically safe, but they were emotionally harmed. No one dared to reveal the realness of their emotions. The fear, humiliation, anger, hatred, hopelessness. They all held their breath in the dark, colored-only balcony of that theater. It was not until Doc Holliday fired his first round that they let the air escape their lungs. All the Lassiters were traumatized that day. If they could have received psychotherapy from a culturally informed therapist, they may have been able to be accurately diagnosed and receive the care they needed to recover from that assault. They may have been able to reject the barbaric display of the whiteness mindset expressed in those men’s oppressive behaviors that disregarded the humanity of a whole family. A culturally skilled therapist may have been able to help the family understand that those men’s need to feel powerful and superior was an example of distorted and delusional thoughts not connected to reality. Those men used the power of their white skin and status in that time and place to bestow purpose upon themselves—a perceived right to exist above others. A therapist experienced in diagnosing the whiteness mindset could have helped the Lassiters appropriately narrate the incident as a problem with the white men and not them. If the Lassiters could have received therapy from a whiteness expert, they may have had the chance to process their pain and speak their shame. However, no such opportunities were available. Instead, the verbal assault deeply wounded my father. He witnessed his father rendered irrelevant by those white men. The white men, who were younger than his father, had the power to block a Black family’s path. Joshua saw the man whom he respected, loved, and cherished more than any other man turned into a boy. A silenced boy who swallowed fear and anger to ensure survival. The silence was a mask for the shame. But Jasper knew the shame was there. And Joshua knew it, too.
In Berenstain Bears, Papa Bear may have been stern at times. But he always let Brother and Sister Bear know that he loved them. He was tender in teaching the lessons of life to his cubs. He volunteered at their school. And even when he and Mama Bear had disagreements, they rarely were angry. Papa Bear was able to do something my father never seemed good at—admit when he was wrong. Although stubborn, Papa Bear was no stranger to saying sorry and sharing heartfelt hugs in concession. Papa Bear was the type of father for which I prayed. But my father wanted me to be a different type of boy. He wanted me to play sports, have sex with girls while maintaining a powerful emotional distance, and be physically aggressive. This type of boy would develop into a strong man who could lead and shield his family from the harms of white people no matter the emotional costs. My father wanted me to mimic him as he emulated his father. My father led his family from a space where he simultaneously fought white people’s brutality and internalized the whiteness mindset. Being exposed to the norms of white manhood, his own manhood looked like a combination of his father’s emotional distancing and the disregard for the fullness of others’ humanity that was demonstrated by those white men on that Saturday morning in his youth. After generations of intentional cultural suppression and demonization by the white world around him, Joshua’s ancestors’ African values were largely unfamiliar to him. My father was culturally misoriented.
These experiences and lessons were extended to each generation. My father taught them to me. He added: “Don’t ever tell white people the truth.” “Always keep your eyes open.” “Always sit with your back up against the wall.” “If you take three steps, they’re going to try to push you back two.” “You can’t be weak out there. The world will eat you alive.”
My father used every tactic he knew to help me forge my own armor. He feared for me. He was scared that someone might use my emotions as an excuse to harm me. It did not matter if my emotions were justified. It did not matter if I had just survived a medical emergency. It did not matter if I was seven years old. In his mind, I needed armor. That day, in 1991, lying in the hospital, I wanted my father to care for my emotions. He cared for my toughness, my survival. His inability to emotionally connect and treat my vulnerability with gentleness was a symptom of the whiteness mindset that harmed us both.
December 27, 2025
Should've been called the White mindset and why everything bad in my life is the fault of white people. Not what I expected at all. The title alone was click bait.
Want to read
October 27, 2025As heard on Depresh Mode with John Moe (Is Whiteness a Mental Health Problem? Dr. Jonathan Mathias Lassiter Thinks So.)
https://afp-9384.calisto.simplecastau...
It’s a question we ask a lot on this show: do you have a mental health problem or is the problem actually rooted in the world you live in? Psychologist Dr. Jonathan Mathias Lassiter says contemporary society lives under three different assumptions: there’s not enough to go around, kill or be killed, and us versus them or divide and conquer and this results in people valuing individualism, competition, and materialism. This way of living, he says, is a result of white dominance or whiteness and it is a distortion of the way humans are meant to live and therefore leads to things like racism, sexism, homophobia, and the brutality of human beings to one another. Dr. Lassiter, author of How I Know White People Are Crazy and Other Stories says whiteness is not a mental health disorder but it is a mental health problem that we all need to face. Dr. Lassiter tells his own story, growing up with a chronic illness, gay, and Black in the South and eventually earning his PhD. in psychology. As he came to understand psychology and the way the world works, he noticed the impact of society’s built-in obstacles on his own mental health journey and among the students and clients he has helped.
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https://afp-9384.calisto.simplecastau...
December 9, 2025
Whewwww Dr. Lassiter made many points throughout this book, MANY! For instance,"All oppression is oppression." I laughed, nodded, agreed, concurred, and even said "yep and I know that's right" outloud as though people could read my thoughts or know what i was in agreeing too page after page. He brought up an assignment that he had to do during Grad school in regards to Diversity and I too, remember this same assignment. We had to inject ourselves as the minority and "see how they live" and write a paper on it. His reaction was mines exactly. Chileeeee, this is our lives not a damn project or experience. I don't know why the APA finds this acceptable, then again being based off a predominantly white woman's thoughts and views is understandable. And then to have the token Black person in class to be asked questions after question, and to hear scenario after scenario chapped my arse. Even after the "assignment" many classmates still couldn't grasp the notion that they are blinded by reality, that Black people or People of the Global Majority live these lives day in and day out. it's not experiment nor an assignment. And when he spoke about us (Black people) having to do extra work, get more experience, more references while our counterparts do the bare minimum and are mediocre get the jobs just because of their race and their white sounding names. It's exhausting and at the same time refreshing to hear others having to jump through hoops when it comes to qualifications/jobs/experiences. I don't know why I'm surprised, but part of this is why I paused my doctoral process because of the daunting process and double work. Even in the mental health field, it's based off the thoughts of white men and women, who don't represent the rest of the world, their cultures, religions, socioeconomic status, race, beliefs and soooooooo much more isn't taken in account. I can go on and on about this read.... I'll just say if you're in the mental health field, read this book. If you're in Academia, read this book. If you're white, read this book. Great job, Dr. Lassiter. When, I'm done with my doctoral process, I wish to have mentor who is as passionate as you are. #Book12of2025 #Bookworm #Whatsnext
November 4, 2025
The premise is brilliant: what if we treated the 'whiteness mindset' as a psychological disorder? What if we analyzed the interconnectivity of class, race, gender, and sexuality in the whiteness mindset? The book ends with a list of suggested action items for readers (a treatment plan, if you will), including a specific call out for white readers.
The stand out moment of the book -- the moment that made me slap the table was an anecdote about a more senoir faculty member asking him, a new faculty hire, for advice in dealing with a student who kept turning in things really late. Dr. Lassiter, the only Black prof on campus, realized he was being asked how to deal with this student because she was also Black, and she was struggling with anxiety related to national level and campus level racial violence. One would assume that a tenured psych prof would have the professional experience both as a teacher and as a psychologist to navigate that situation with care, but, in Dr. Lassiter's words, her white guilt paralyzed her from actually being helpful. I have totally seen (and felt personally!!) moments where white people want to do better and be better, but flail about in a panic when any Diversity MomentsTM actually happen. I think this is one area that could have been explored more. The action items listed about challenging a broad range of assumptions are excellent, but I think there's still the same issue of white guilt paralyzing people interested in being allies from actually being useful.
The book is part memoir, part commentary, and is a pleasure to read. I did the audio route, and having the book be narrated by the author made every chapter feel extra special.
Thanks to NetGalley for the free copy, all opinions are my own.
The stand out moment of the book -- the moment that made me slap the table was an anecdote about a more senoir faculty member asking him, a new faculty hire, for advice in dealing with a student who kept turning in things really late. Dr. Lassiter, the only Black prof on campus, realized he was being asked how to deal with this student because she was also Black, and she was struggling with anxiety related to national level and campus level racial violence. One would assume that a tenured psych prof would have the professional experience both as a teacher and as a psychologist to navigate that situation with care, but, in Dr. Lassiter's words, her white guilt paralyzed her from actually being helpful. I have totally seen (and felt personally!!) moments where white people want to do better and be better, but flail about in a panic when any Diversity MomentsTM actually happen. I think this is one area that could have been explored more. The action items listed about challenging a broad range of assumptions are excellent, but I think there's still the same issue of white guilt paralyzing people interested in being allies from actually being useful.
The book is part memoir, part commentary, and is a pleasure to read. I did the audio route, and having the book be narrated by the author made every chapter feel extra special.
Thanks to NetGalley for the free copy, all opinions are my own.
November 3, 2025
Do you wish you could see the world
I just finished reading How I Know White People are Crazy and Other Stories; Notes from a Frustrated Black Psychologist a Health, Mind & Body; Nonfiction (Adult) book written by Dr. Jonathan Lassiter. I read the AudioBook published by Hachette Audio. NetGalley gave me a copy of this book. I listened to this book on NetGalley. It is a stand alone book.
This book is a must read if you like: Social justice work, Autobiographical books, race studies, psychology, and nonfiction.
Dr. Jonathan Lassiter takes us on his journey through the psychology field, with an honest look into the insanity that is the current system.
This book is a frank, witty, direct, honest look into our current society.
As a white person this book was tough to read, but I am very very very glad I did. He makes this tough topic approachable.
This book has a specific focus with a specific arena and a specific point. This allows you so see a specific viewpoint clearly.
The last chapter was a fabulous summary and great points.
I struggled with some of the way things were phrased, due to my background and history, but I don’t think anything should be changed.
I love that the book was read by the author. It was really enjoyable to listen to.
I REALLY enjoyed this book and I think more people should read it.
Content Warnings: Adult language, intense situations, racism, and all the other isms.
I just finished reading How I Know White People are Crazy and Other Stories; Notes from a Frustrated Black Psychologist a Health, Mind & Body; Nonfiction (Adult) book written by Dr. Jonathan Lassiter. I read the AudioBook published by Hachette Audio. NetGalley gave me a copy of this book. I listened to this book on NetGalley. It is a stand alone book.
This book is a must read if you like: Social justice work, Autobiographical books, race studies, psychology, and nonfiction.
Dr. Jonathan Lassiter takes us on his journey through the psychology field, with an honest look into the insanity that is the current system.
This book is a frank, witty, direct, honest look into our current society.
As a white person this book was tough to read, but I am very very very glad I did. He makes this tough topic approachable.
This book has a specific focus with a specific arena and a specific point. This allows you so see a specific viewpoint clearly.
The last chapter was a fabulous summary and great points.
I struggled with some of the way things were phrased, due to my background and history, but I don’t think anything should be changed.
I love that the book was read by the author. It was really enjoyable to listen to.
I REALLY enjoyed this book and I think more people should read it.
Content Warnings: Adult language, intense situations, racism, and all the other isms.
August 26, 2025
***Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review***
In this book Dr. Jonathan Lassiter uses the history and current practice of Western psychology interwoven with his lived experience to demonstrate how psychology as we know it (here in the US) fails to serve Black and other minoritized populations. He connects childhood memories, his years in school, and notable events in his professional career as examples of the barriers present in the system as we know it now. Dr. Lassiter's voice comes through clearly and feels intimate even as he refers to other scholarly works and showcases his intelligence. There were occasions in which the structure of how he explained a key concept (like whiteness mindset) felt a bit scattered and out of order. I would read it and feel confused, or as if it wasn't fully explained, and then my question would be answered later than I would have liked. I'm willing to chalk that up to personal preference, though. A key point of further exploration I would have liked to hear was Dr. Lassiter's thoughts on psychology as a practice separate from spirituality. He referred to several spiritual practices as alternatives to the current predominantly white ones and I wondered if he saw them as distinct or if psychology and spirituality wouldn't be differentiated in an ideal he pictures.
In this book Dr. Jonathan Lassiter uses the history and current practice of Western psychology interwoven with his lived experience to demonstrate how psychology as we know it (here in the US) fails to serve Black and other minoritized populations. He connects childhood memories, his years in school, and notable events in his professional career as examples of the barriers present in the system as we know it now. Dr. Lassiter's voice comes through clearly and feels intimate even as he refers to other scholarly works and showcases his intelligence. There were occasions in which the structure of how he explained a key concept (like whiteness mindset) felt a bit scattered and out of order. I would read it and feel confused, or as if it wasn't fully explained, and then my question would be answered later than I would have liked. I'm willing to chalk that up to personal preference, though. A key point of further exploration I would have liked to hear was Dr. Lassiter's thoughts on psychology as a practice separate from spirituality. He referred to several spiritual practices as alternatives to the current predominantly white ones and I wondered if he saw them as distinct or if psychology and spirituality wouldn't be differentiated in an ideal he pictures.
December 31, 2025
This book made me chuckle and wince and nod all in the same paragraph. How I Know White People Are Crazy uses humor as both an entry point and a tool, inviting you into conversations about race, power, and cultural norms without sanding down the edges. Dr. Jonathan Lassiter’s voice is confident, conversational, and very aware of what he’s doing, which makes the commentary feel engaging rather than heavy-handed.
What I appreciated most is how the humor never undercuts the insight. The observations are sharp, the personal anecdotes add depth, and the book consistently pushes you to reflect on behaviors and systems that are often treated as “just the way things are.” It’s thoughtful, funny, and intentionally uncomfortable at times, but in a way that feels purposeful and grounded. A strong, engaging read that balances critique with clarity.
𝗩𝗶𝗯𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸:
😂 humor with a point
🧠 sharp cultural commentary
📖 conversational, reflective tone
𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗳:
you’re not in the mood for social critique wrapped in humor or for being gently (and sometimes not so gently) challenged
Big thanks to Grand Central Publishing for the gifted eARC!
What I appreciated most is how the humor never undercuts the insight. The observations are sharp, the personal anecdotes add depth, and the book consistently pushes you to reflect on behaviors and systems that are often treated as “just the way things are.” It’s thoughtful, funny, and intentionally uncomfortable at times, but in a way that feels purposeful and grounded. A strong, engaging read that balances critique with clarity.
𝗩𝗶𝗯𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸:
😂 humor with a point
🧠 sharp cultural commentary
📖 conversational, reflective tone
𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗳:
you’re not in the mood for social critique wrapped in humor or for being gently (and sometimes not so gently) challenged
Big thanks to Grand Central Publishing for the gifted eARC!
December 9, 2025
What a Special Book.
Given the title, I didn't expect the artfulness or depth of this book, the sensory experiences, even cinematic moments in the stories. For me this really IS a book of stories. Infuriating, funny, sad at times. I did expect to learn something. Among many things, the book discusses the Western Eurocentric erasure of psychology principles, philosophies and pioneers that predate the Western canon. Something almost no psych student in the U.S. is even asked to consider. So Dr. Lassiter's years as a professor are evident, but the professor voice is perfectly balanced with the personal voice, woven together with really fine writing craft. This is a very personal book. He even reflects honestly on the effects of the "whiteness mindset," on his own psyche. It is an inviting read. Enjoyed hearing the author's voice in the audiobook. Could say tons more, but hopefully I've made my point. I really recommend this book.
Given the title, I didn't expect the artfulness or depth of this book, the sensory experiences, even cinematic moments in the stories. For me this really IS a book of stories. Infuriating, funny, sad at times. I did expect to learn something. Among many things, the book discusses the Western Eurocentric erasure of psychology principles, philosophies and pioneers that predate the Western canon. Something almost no psych student in the U.S. is even asked to consider. So Dr. Lassiter's years as a professor are evident, but the professor voice is perfectly balanced with the personal voice, woven together with really fine writing craft. This is a very personal book. He even reflects honestly on the effects of the "whiteness mindset," on his own psyche. It is an inviting read. Enjoyed hearing the author's voice in the audiobook. Could say tons more, but hopefully I've made my point. I really recommend this book.
October 31, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Audio for the opportunity to listen to How I Know White People Are Crazy and Other Stories: Notes from a Frustrated Black Psychologist by Dr. Jonathan Lassiter.
This is a powerful collection of essays and reflections where Dr. Lassiter shares his lived experiences as a gay Black psychologist navigating a field often shaped by white-centered frameworks. I loved hearing his perspective and the way he explores the intersections of identity, race, and psychology. His honesty about the challenges and complexities faced by Black psychologists was both refreshing and deeply important.
I highly recommend this book for anyone working in or studying psychology, counseling, or social work—or anyone who wants to better understand the systemic inequities within the mental health field and the resilience of those pushing for change.
This is a powerful collection of essays and reflections where Dr. Lassiter shares his lived experiences as a gay Black psychologist navigating a field often shaped by white-centered frameworks. I loved hearing his perspective and the way he explores the intersections of identity, race, and psychology. His honesty about the challenges and complexities faced by Black psychologists was both refreshing and deeply important.
I highly recommend this book for anyone working in or studying psychology, counseling, or social work—or anyone who wants to better understand the systemic inequities within the mental health field and the resilience of those pushing for change.
November 15, 2025
The start initially felt a bit scattershot and overwhelming, like being thrown into a swirl of ideas without much guidance. But honestly, once you settle into Lassiter’s rhythm, you realise he meant to throw you in the deep end. And he absolutely does not hold back. His words confront you head-on, pushing you to reflect on society far beyond the surface level.
It’s a challenging read in the best sense: one that forces you to take a real, honest look at yourself and sit with what you find there. But Lassiter’s humour — sharp, cheeky, perfectly timed — softens the blow just enough to keep you engaged rather than overwhelmed.
Bold, honest, uncomfortable in the ways it should be, and surprisingly funny when you need it.
It’s a challenging read in the best sense: one that forces you to take a real, honest look at yourself and sit with what you find there. But Lassiter’s humour — sharp, cheeky, perfectly timed — softens the blow just enough to keep you engaged rather than overwhelmed.
Bold, honest, uncomfortable in the ways it should be, and surprisingly funny when you need it.
did-not-finish
January 10, 2026Audiobook DNFed @ 13%. I'd been looking forward to this SO much. With that title, how could I not? Unfortunately, it wasn't as expected. The introduction succinctly summarized the cancer that is whiteness and white supremacy on, well, everything, but in this particular case in the medical and psychological field. I wasn't, like, blown away at this point, because I've already read so much about racism and white supremacy. The book then continues in the format of a memoir, which I wasn't expecting, and honestly wasn't that interested in. I wanted to read more about, y'know, what the title of the book says this book is about!
July 16, 2025
Thank you to Grand Central Publishing | Legacy Lit for sending me a free eARC in exchange for my review.
The concepts in this book are things that should be taught in schools, and especially in psychology programs, yet sadly are becoming more erased by the day. Even for therapists who consider themselves “culturally competent” — this book will have many new things for you to consider.
Some of the opinions and assumptions in the book were off-putting, (like referring to a woman he didn’t like as a “bitch” and a few other examples), but the information and research is fascinating.
The concepts in this book are things that should be taught in schools, and especially in psychology programs, yet sadly are becoming more erased by the day. Even for therapists who consider themselves “culturally competent” — this book will have many new things for you to consider.
Some of the opinions and assumptions in the book were off-putting, (like referring to a woman he didn’t like as a “bitch” and a few other examples), but the information and research is fascinating.
August 4, 2025
While the author
comes across
as quite cross
( pissed )
He has a point.
We all know,
WE ALL KNOW
that white
medical doctors have
a terrible track record
of properly
caring for patients
of colour.
Not listening
to their concerns
improperly diagnosing
their conditions.
And just plain
not giving a shit.
Turns out
white psychologist
are just as bad.
Not being able to
frame a black
patients experience
in a helpful manner.
So the entire medical
profession needs to better.
comes across
as quite cross
( pissed )
He has a point.
We all know,
WE ALL KNOW
that white
medical doctors have
a terrible track record
of properly
caring for patients
of colour.
Not listening
to their concerns
improperly diagnosing
their conditions.
And just plain
not giving a shit.
Turns out
white psychologist
are just as bad.
Not being able to
frame a black
patients experience
in a helpful manner.
So the entire medical
profession needs to better.
December 16, 2025
How I Know White People Are Crazy by Dr. Jonathan Lassiter is a sharp, candid look at the mental health system through the lens of a Black psychologist. It blends humor, insight, and critique while showing how cultural perspectives must shape healing.
December 16, 2025
Psych or counseling professions must read. Dr. Lassiter articulates how white ideology makes everyone crazy. Really anyone who works with people should read it.
January 8, 2026
Maybe like 3.5 ⭐️??? Not the book I THOUGHT it was going to be but still very important!
November 24, 2025
How I Know White People are Crazy and Other Stories is a memoir of the author's frustration with the white-centric mental health system. This isn't really a psychology book, but rather the racist system that governs it, along with pretty much everything else in our society. As a white transracial adoptive mom, there was nothing new to me in this book, but I enjoyed it for its confirmation that I'm not making things up. The system is steeply slanted towards whiteness. I enjoyed the sections that shed light on the harm this does to both patients of color and the providers of color who must try to provide care within this system.
The audiobook is narrated by the author. While I usually enjoy books read by the author, in this case, I think I would have enjoyed a different narrator. I was distracted by the voice for some reason.
The audiobook is narrated by the author. While I usually enjoy books read by the author, in this case, I think I would have enjoyed a different narrator. I was distracted by the voice for some reason.
December 15, 2025
I picked this book based on the title and cover. In hindsight, I should have done more research. The “and other stories” part of the title is 90% of the book.
The author narrates the book with a voice and tone that feels like he’s talking to a five-year-old who is unfamiliar with the serious themes in the book. In other words, it feels like it’s a book to teach white folks about intersectional minority issues.
The author does a decent job. However, I am not the target demographic for this book, and therefore, I didn’t learn much. After doing a Masters, some of these themes are no longer a mystery to me, but I reckon most readers will be rivited.
The author explores the whiteness mindset with personal anecdotes and historical references. He missed some cues, IMO, but I shouldn’t expect a psychologist to know all pre-colonial African history.
If you’re considering a career in mental health sciences, this is a ‘must read’. I cannot stress this enough! This book will complement the 'conventional' readings.
The way Black thought and voices are derided, ignored or challenged in the field is not surprising if you’re Black. Dr. Lassiter’s anecdotes are predictable (to me) and maddening.
That said, we can always use more Ibram X. Kendi’s and Regina Jackson’s. In fact, there can never be enough.
**I received a free copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
#GrandCentralPublishing
#HachetteAudio
#HowIKnowWhitePeopleAreCrazyandOtherStories
#DrJohnathanLassiter
#Psychology
#Satire
#Memoir
#netgalley
The author narrates the book with a voice and tone that feels like he’s talking to a five-year-old who is unfamiliar with the serious themes in the book. In other words, it feels like it’s a book to teach white folks about intersectional minority issues.
The author does a decent job. However, I am not the target demographic for this book, and therefore, I didn’t learn much. After doing a Masters, some of these themes are no longer a mystery to me, but I reckon most readers will be rivited.
The author explores the whiteness mindset with personal anecdotes and historical references. He missed some cues, IMO, but I shouldn’t expect a psychologist to know all pre-colonial African history.
If you’re considering a career in mental health sciences, this is a ‘must read’. I cannot stress this enough! This book will complement the 'conventional' readings.
The way Black thought and voices are derided, ignored or challenged in the field is not surprising if you’re Black. Dr. Lassiter’s anecdotes are predictable (to me) and maddening.
That said, we can always use more Ibram X. Kendi’s and Regina Jackson’s. In fact, there can never be enough.
**I received a free copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
#GrandCentralPublishing
#HachetteAudio
#HowIKnowWhitePeopleAreCrazyandOtherStories
#DrJohnathanLassiter
#Psychology
#Satire
#Memoir
#netgalley
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